What do you think?
Rate this book
Ren Crown #1
The Awakening of Ren Crown
In a world where layers of magic create worlds on top of our own, a girl desperately hunts an elixir for death. Through the hallowed halls—and criminal underworld—of the magic world's most elite institution, time and glittering evil stalk her steps.
Animated creations, enchanted gadgets, and marvelous machines vie with the students themselves: mischievous engineers, diabolical tacticians, battle-hardened warriors, and terrifying roommates. But even amidst an eclectic and powerful student body, there is something off about Ren's magic...and the wrong people have started to notice.
Where art comes alive and the bonds of destiny are forged, Ren will find the answer to who and what she is.
A secret inside a secret world.
The series:
The Ren Crown series is a New Adult and College Fantasy series that deals with art magic, magical science, and technology. The Awakening of Ren Crown is the start of an epic adventure featuring a protagonist who would rather be diligently working in her lab than saving (or ending) the world -- but who will do anything to protect her family and friends.
Animated creations, enchanted gadgets, and marvelous machines vie with the students themselves: mischievous engineers, diabolical tacticians, battle-hardened warriors, and terrifying roommates. But even amidst an eclectic and powerful student body, there is something off about Ren's magic...and the wrong people have started to notice.
Where art comes alive and the bonds of destiny are forged, Ren will find the answer to who and what she is.
A secret inside a secret world.
The series:
The Ren Crown series is a New Adult and College Fantasy series that deals with art magic, magical science, and technology. The Awakening of Ren Crown is the start of an epic adventure featuring a protagonist who would rather be diligently working in her lab than saving (or ending) the world -- but who will do anything to protect her family and friends.
461 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2012
323 people are currently reading
3845 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
October 30, 2017
10/29/17 --- 4th reread review - still love this book with my entire heart although a few of my opinions regarding my review have changed (and i've made minor edits of this previous review to reflect that). for full clarification, see my review for book 4 (the unleashing of ren crown). 10/10 still and i absolutely positively adore ren.
2/1/17 --- holy SHIT. wow.
this book quickly jumped to the top of my favorite books, only behind my ultimate favorites. i have never enjoyed reading a protagonist more from the first book. ren crown is quite honestly my goals in life.
but, but, but, let me go in chronological order.
the world-building! it was so overwhelming but so interesting and so good! the five layers? the different types of mages? art that can trap people inside? books that fly around and come to you based on your thoughts? the ability to filter everyone's speech into something that's a common tongue? protection wards that blow up in your face? rock soldiers that come to life and are willing to protect you with every fibre of their being? not to forget the million forms of necromancy.
at times it was a bit too much information but it made sense given the type of person that ren is. she is always hunting for knowledge and especially in this new world where she's a stranger, she NEEDS it. i had to put the book down to process everything a few times but i always found myself crawling back within minutes because of how interesting everything was.
i think the problem here stemmed from the fact that ren spends the first half of the book without a lot of direct human contact so it's difficult to read through the info-dump (because usually you can bounce off other characters/relationships/dynamics/dialogue to help with world-building but you couldn't do that here) and it's also because a majority of the world-building IS in the first half. still, i enjoyed the world-building a lot; it just took longer to read through which is perfectly okay.
onto the characters though!
so christian: i loved him. i loved who he was and what he stood for in ren's life and i loved how the book tied up nicely, providing us with a resolution (that made me cry, frankly.)
alexander dare is interesting, although it might be because we're viewing him through ren's eyes and she quite obviously has a insta-love crush on him (i hate insta-love though so let's see if this somehow defies the odds). i still don't know yet if i trust him, especially with the love of my life ren. i'm not going to lie, the overuse of ultramarine was irritating and i wasn't a fan of how hostile he acted towards her since she was technically someone he didn't know. it's very clear that ren is awkward and doesn't know how to handle herself around him and instead of being... oh, i don't know... CONSIDERATE... he chose to instead glare at her and act rude... but if nothing else, ren was adorably entertaining in these interactions. also why were he and his uncle even in the first layer in the beginning of the book? i find that highly suspicious.
will! i love him so much and i love his and ren's friendship. i hope he never finds out about the ending of this book tbh. but anyways, i love how he and ren share a thirst for knowledge and how for the first time, it allows ren to realize that she's not "strange" for always being an "outsider" and that sometimes it's okay to get lost in your thoughts. i love that will is such a loyal friend to someone who's feral. one of my favorite parts in the book is when he realizes that in calling marsgrove, he gave up the adventure of a lifetime. "We should have run from your parents and gone on a road trip." HOW ICONIC IS THAT.
(also side note: i don't know if she actually is but i claim ren crown as bisexual and/or pansexual. she calls stevens and nephthys beautiful frequently and expressed wanting to draw stevens and constantly compliments camille in her head and wants nothing more than to make neph happy. i claim her for the lgbtq+ community!!! try to stop me. (you can't.))
on that note, stevens and doctor greyskull were my favorite adults in this book, despite their very different personalities. they both helped ren in their own ways and it was good to see that SOME adults did actually care unlike the vast majority of adult mages in the book.
i also love neph and i can't wait to hear more about her and what it means to be a muse and to see her and ren's friendship grow further. it's a testament to how wonderful ren is that she took the time to notice neph and actively wants to give her happiness. i loved when she would come to neph and neph would help her heal without questioning it. we love loyalty. HOW PURE!!!
omg, now constantine......... no offense but i would die for this ambiguously grey character. he is so fascinating (way more so than alexander; at least so far) and clearly very intelligent. he's honestly the archetype of character i'm always drawn to so i'm not that surprised. i hope he and ren continue to be friends (and maybe more? hopefully more! i love slow-burn couples!). i want to know so much more about him! the way he reacted to ren making it clear that she genuinely wants to be his friend and wants to protect him were some of my favorite things in this book. it's clear that this behavior is not something he's used to, which is why it throws him off so much when she actively tries to help him and to look out for him. i love their dynamic and their scene together in chapter 27 was probably one of my favorite scenes in the book. (they were hardcore flirting btw, just saying). also: a suspicion i have is that alexander and constantine are roommates but who knows. give me more of constantine please and thank you!
i love olivia. [1d voice: i live for you i long for you olivia!!!) i truly didn't expect to and i honestly don't think i would have if ren hadn't made the continuous effort to reach out to her but ren did. i love how we grew to learn more about her and i think one day, olivia could truly rule the world. what a queen. what an icon. truly. watching her slowly thaw towards ren and then eventually claim her as an actual friend was beautiful. i cried when olivia gave ren the key and asked her to room with her next term. it's so rare that we get to see female friendships take a main role in YA books so seeing this has made my heart so incredibly happy. one of my favorite scenes was when ren picked blue flowers because she noticed olivia smelling them near their dorm and how olivia was pleased by it. i LOVE THEM.
last but not least, ren. god i LOVE ren so much. most protagonists sit around and whine and complain about how horrible their life is but ren is out there working incredibly hard and getting things done and not giving up even when things are shitty. i felt so immensely proud of her. yes, she might have wandered into grey area but i think that's one of the most interesting things about her. she is willing to do SO much for the people she loves. she stretched herself so thin near the end of the book because she wanted to help all her friends in whatever she could, even if it meant less time for herself or more often, no sleep. she took the time and effort to be befriend people who may not have had anyone else. she didn't care what other people thought of them: it was what she thought of them that mattered. she's so loyal and so hardworking but also so clever and loves knowledge yet very determined and willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish her goals.
the fact she doesn't give one single fuck about the rules was so interesting. like at multiple points, she knew she was breaking the rules and didn't care and instead actively pursued it, even if it meant getting a shock to her system or turning into a toad or losing body parts. but somehow, it didn't make her any less pure or good. i loved her love for art and her love for engineering and how it made her into the person she was. i love that she never gave up on whatever she decided to pursue. i love that she made the best of the terrible things happening to her.
i simply love ren crown.
i would definitely recommend this book to everyone if you're willing to deal a few minor typos and irritants. the small flaws are vastly outweighed by how INTERESTING the book is. i can't wait to start the second one!
2/1/17 --- holy SHIT. wow.
this book quickly jumped to the top of my favorite books, only behind my ultimate favorites. i have never enjoyed reading a protagonist more from the first book. ren crown is quite honestly my goals in life.
but, but, but, let me go in chronological order.
the world-building! it was so overwhelming but so interesting and so good! the five layers? the different types of mages? art that can trap people inside? books that fly around and come to you based on your thoughts? the ability to filter everyone's speech into something that's a common tongue? protection wards that blow up in your face? rock soldiers that come to life and are willing to protect you with every fibre of their being? not to forget the million forms of necromancy.
at times it was a bit too much information but it made sense given the type of person that ren is. she is always hunting for knowledge and especially in this new world where she's a stranger, she NEEDS it. i had to put the book down to process everything a few times but i always found myself crawling back within minutes because of how interesting everything was.
i think the problem here stemmed from the fact that ren spends the first half of the book without a lot of direct human contact so it's difficult to read through the info-dump (because usually you can bounce off other characters/relationships/dynamics/dialogue to help with world-building but you couldn't do that here) and it's also because a majority of the world-building IS in the first half. still, i enjoyed the world-building a lot; it just took longer to read through which is perfectly okay.
onto the characters though!
so christian: i loved him. i loved who he was and what he stood for in ren's life and i loved how the book tied up nicely, providing us with a resolution (that made me cry, frankly.)
alexander dare is interesting, although it might be because we're viewing him through ren's eyes and she quite obviously has a insta-love crush on him (i hate insta-love though so let's see if this somehow defies the odds). i still don't know yet if i trust him, especially with the love of my life ren. i'm not going to lie, the overuse of ultramarine was irritating and i wasn't a fan of how hostile he acted towards her since she was technically someone he didn't know. it's very clear that ren is awkward and doesn't know how to handle herself around him and instead of being... oh, i don't know... CONSIDERATE... he chose to instead glare at her and act rude... but if nothing else, ren was adorably entertaining in these interactions. also why were he and his uncle even in the first layer in the beginning of the book? i find that highly suspicious.
will! i love him so much and i love his and ren's friendship. i hope he never finds out about the ending of this book tbh. but anyways, i love how he and ren share a thirst for knowledge and how for the first time, it allows ren to realize that she's not "strange" for always being an "outsider" and that sometimes it's okay to get lost in your thoughts. i love that will is such a loyal friend to someone who's feral. one of my favorite parts in the book is when he realizes that in calling marsgrove, he gave up the adventure of a lifetime. "We should have run from your parents and gone on a road trip." HOW ICONIC IS THAT.
(also side note: i don't know if she actually is but i claim ren crown as bisexual and/or pansexual. she calls stevens and nephthys beautiful frequently and expressed wanting to draw stevens and constantly compliments camille in her head and wants nothing more than to make neph happy. i claim her for the lgbtq+ community!!! try to stop me. (you can't.))
on that note, stevens and doctor greyskull were my favorite adults in this book, despite their very different personalities. they both helped ren in their own ways and it was good to see that SOME adults did actually care unlike the vast majority of adult mages in the book.
i also love neph and i can't wait to hear more about her and what it means to be a muse and to see her and ren's friendship grow further. it's a testament to how wonderful ren is that she took the time to notice neph and actively wants to give her happiness. i loved when she would come to neph and neph would help her heal without questioning it. we love loyalty. HOW PURE!!!
omg, now constantine......... no offense but i would die for this ambiguously grey character. he is so fascinating (way more so than alexander; at least so far) and clearly very intelligent. he's honestly the archetype of character i'm always drawn to so i'm not that surprised. i hope he and ren continue to be friends (and maybe more? hopefully more! i love slow-burn couples!). i want to know so much more about him! the way he reacted to ren making it clear that she genuinely wants to be his friend and wants to protect him were some of my favorite things in this book. it's clear that this behavior is not something he's used to, which is why it throws him off so much when she actively tries to help him and to look out for him. i love their dynamic and their scene together in chapter 27 was probably one of my favorite scenes in the book. (they were hardcore flirting btw, just saying). also: a suspicion i have is that alexander and constantine are roommates but who knows. give me more of constantine please and thank you!
i love olivia. [1d voice: i live for you i long for you olivia!!!) i truly didn't expect to and i honestly don't think i would have if ren hadn't made the continuous effort to reach out to her but ren did. i love how we grew to learn more about her and i think one day, olivia could truly rule the world. what a queen. what an icon. truly. watching her slowly thaw towards ren and then eventually claim her as an actual friend was beautiful. i cried when olivia gave ren the key and asked her to room with her next term. it's so rare that we get to see female friendships take a main role in YA books so seeing this has made my heart so incredibly happy. one of my favorite scenes was when ren picked blue flowers because she noticed olivia smelling them near their dorm and how olivia was pleased by it. i LOVE THEM.
last but not least, ren. god i LOVE ren so much. most protagonists sit around and whine and complain about how horrible their life is but ren is out there working incredibly hard and getting things done and not giving up even when things are shitty. i felt so immensely proud of her. yes, she might have wandered into grey area but i think that's one of the most interesting things about her. she is willing to do SO much for the people she loves. she stretched herself so thin near the end of the book because she wanted to help all her friends in whatever she could, even if it meant less time for herself or more often, no sleep. she took the time and effort to be befriend people who may not have had anyone else. she didn't care what other people thought of them: it was what she thought of them that mattered. she's so loyal and so hardworking but also so clever and loves knowledge yet very determined and willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish her goals.
the fact she doesn't give one single fuck about the rules was so interesting. like at multiple points, she knew she was breaking the rules and didn't care and instead actively pursued it, even if it meant getting a shock to her system or turning into a toad or losing body parts. but somehow, it didn't make her any less pure or good. i loved her love for art and her love for engineering and how it made her into the person she was. i love that she never gave up on whatever she decided to pursue. i love that she made the best of the terrible things happening to her.
i simply love ren crown.
i would definitely recommend this book to everyone if you're willing to deal a few minor typos and irritants. the small flaws are vastly outweighed by how INTERESTING the book is. i can't wait to start the second one!
May 3, 2023
3/10/17 - Loveeeeeeee
6/6/14 - 3rd re-read and STILL excellent :) Now to reread book 2!
24/8/12 - Even though the start is a wee bit slow, it was totally worth it. I hadn't read a book that meshed that book's plot line with the over all plot line of the series so well since Harry Potter.
The real selling point for me was the incredible world building. It was all so painstakingly thought out, every little piece connected with each other to form one hell of a world. The way the magic works, how the Layers are connected, the ripples, and chaos magic. It was all just...wow. Some people might find it confusing at first but as the book progress it all starts making more sense.
The characters were all nicely fleshed out, from the MC, Ren to all the secondary characters. Loved all of them, even creepy Verisetti and perv Leandred, and that idiot Marsgrov. And then there is Ren, she so incredibly determined to get her brother back, so many things she did, and finally learning to let go and do what had to be done. She was so single-minded in her pursuit to get her brother back that she skipped very important bits in between, but she learns from her mistakes and accepts her place in this new world. But I think my favorite character was the Guard Rock, I mean who wouldn't want an actual pet rock? outfitted with a pencil sword and everything. xD
There was a bit of romance here, and I really loved how it was done. I think this quote sums it up pretty well.
"I sighed internally. I really needed to get rid of this crush, but for some reason his dark responses only made it grow. As if firmly planting it in the “never happen” category just made it more appealing to dwell upon. I returned his dark gaze. Crushes rocked because they were fantastical. The real Alexander Dare could bite me."
She is completely down to earth. Yes the dude saved her life and is beyond hot, but there is no insta-love nor some incredibly fast developing romance. It progresses naturally.
I recommend this book to everyone! Especially fans of Harry Potter.
*If you are one of those people that doesn't like too much descriptions, you might find this one a hard read. I usually don't like them too much but in this case it was what really made it stand out.
6/6/14 - 3rd re-read and STILL excellent :) Now to reread book 2!
24/8/12 - Even though the start is a wee bit slow, it was totally worth it. I hadn't read a book that meshed that book's plot line with the over all plot line of the series so well since Harry Potter.
The real selling point for me was the incredible world building. It was all so painstakingly thought out, every little piece connected with each other to form one hell of a world. The way the magic works, how the Layers are connected, the ripples, and chaos magic. It was all just...wow. Some people might find it confusing at first but as the book progress it all starts making more sense.
The characters were all nicely fleshed out, from the MC, Ren to all the secondary characters. Loved all of them, even creepy Verisetti and perv Leandred, and that idiot Marsgrov. And then there is Ren, she so incredibly determined to get her brother back, so many things she did, and finally learning to let go and do what had to be done. She was so single-minded in her pursuit to get her brother back that she skipped very important bits in between, but she learns from her mistakes and accepts her place in this new world. But I think my favorite character was the Guard Rock, I mean who wouldn't want an actual pet rock? outfitted with a pencil sword and everything. xD
There was a bit of romance here, and I really loved how it was done. I think this quote sums it up pretty well.
"I sighed internally. I really needed to get rid of this crush, but for some reason his dark responses only made it grow. As if firmly planting it in the “never happen” category just made it more appealing to dwell upon. I returned his dark gaze. Crushes rocked because they were fantastical. The real Alexander Dare could bite me."
She is completely down to earth. Yes the dude saved her life and is beyond hot, but there is no insta-love nor some incredibly fast developing romance. It progresses naturally.
I recommend this book to everyone! Especially fans of Harry Potter.
*If you are one of those people that doesn't like too much descriptions, you might find this one a hard read. I usually don't like them too much but in this case it was what really made it stand out.
January 9, 2013
This took me so long to finish. I had other things going on at once so it was really hard to get into this book because there's a million different things going on in this book as well.
I really liked the world building. The magic layers Zoelle created was a really neat idea. If you slack on reading the details anywhere in this book, you get lost so easily. Probably why it took me a while to finish.
The story behind everything was... awesome. I loved the whole idea of these twins losing each other. The MC losing her twin who she thought was the better half and wanting him back because she can't live without him & because she believed everyone would rather have him survive than her. It works as the catalyst in the book. Everything she did, no matter how ridiculous it was with the risks it took, actually made sense because she's grieving for her twin. She was willing to do anything to get him back.
The details aren't bad nor are they boring, but it was just so intrinsic to the understanding of the magical world. I slacked on paying attention to those details so I was lost at times. Okay, lie. I was lost many times throughout the book, lol.
It was a good book. Just a bit too long. Reminds me of Rothfuss' stuff where he literally wrote out everything the character did hour by hour... making it a loooong ass book LOL. Just great world building though :0) I'll probably love it more as the series continues.
And Constantine... can't forget to mention Constantine. Dare is nice, but oh Constantine :P
I really liked the world building. The magic layers Zoelle created was a really neat idea. If you slack on reading the details anywhere in this book, you get lost so easily. Probably why it took me a while to finish.
The story behind everything was... awesome. I loved the whole idea of these twins losing each other. The MC losing her twin who she thought was the better half and wanting him back because she can't live without him & because she believed everyone would rather have him survive than her. It works as the catalyst in the book. Everything she did, no matter how ridiculous it was with the risks it took, actually made sense because she's grieving for her twin. She was willing to do anything to get him back.
The details aren't bad nor are they boring, but it was just so intrinsic to the understanding of the magical world. I slacked on paying attention to those details so I was lost at times. Okay, lie. I was lost many times throughout the book, lol.
It was a good book. Just a bit too long. Reminds me of Rothfuss' stuff where he literally wrote out everything the character did hour by hour... making it a loooong ass book LOL. Just great world building though :0) I'll probably love it more as the series continues.
And Constantine... can't forget to mention Constantine. Dare is nice, but oh Constantine :P
March 11, 2018
Reread 3/11/18
The world-building and characters are still fun but forgot how long this book is lol.
3.5~3.75 stars
The world-building and characters are still fun but forgot how long this book is lol.
3.5~3.75 stars
Appreciation for the existence of Constantine Leandred.
December 28, 2018
im in love with ren and she is definitely bi idc if its canon or not SHE IS THE BICON WE DESERVE
April 9, 2013
The Awakening of Ren Crown is a rich, deep and engaging novel. The story deals with the struggle many of us face, of not being able to let go of those we love when they are gone. It also addresses the issues of finding out who we truly are and what we are capable of. Although this novel is directed towards the youth fantasy audience it is written in a captivating and intelligent style that can suit all ages of fans of fantasy and magic.
As you journey with Ren , Florence Crown, through her adventure of being taken to another layer of our existence you will empathize deeply with her quest. Her goal, to reunite with her twin brother at all costs, tempts her to go to the depth of her own soul. Surrounded by an unlikely team of allies she manages the twists and turns of this desire to find her own soul is stronger than she thought.
As the story progresses you will see the karmatic connection between Ren’s inner struggles and what she is creating in her outer world. The laws of instant manifestation are at play, although our heroine is unaware of this for some time. Throughout the story many exciting, magical, exotic creatures enter Ren’s life, as well as some interesting and loyal friends. All drawing together in the ultimate conclusion that we create our own outcomes, whether we know it or not. What a great way to reveal this idea to young minds.
If parents are concerned about the subject manner, as some Youth fantasy fiction can get quite dark, I personally would say “Rest easy”. Yes there is exploration of dark magic but it does not cross the line of being “evil”. In addition, the relationships in this book stay very age appropriate and healthy. Which I found refreshing since so many popular youth books out right now so very poor examples of relationships, both in friendship and in romance.
The author Anne Zoelle appears to use many real life scientific principals such as string theory, quantum physics, particle matter and even the Chinese red string theory. What I love about this story is it is told through the experiences of magic so the reader does not have to understand these principals in order to embrace them. In this way, it can expose the audience to these ideas in a cryptic manner which encourages them to explore more about them on their own. I am not sure if this was intentional or not but these principals are so deeply seated in this story that it would be hard to believe that the Author is not well studied in all of these subjects.
Accomplishing exposing readers to such complex ideas in an intriguing and entertaining way would be enough but Anne takes it a step further. She explores human relationships, fitting in – or not, trusting your instincts, embracing your talents and in the end believing that life is magical, if only we allow it to be.
As you journey with Ren , Florence Crown, through her adventure of being taken to another layer of our existence you will empathize deeply with her quest. Her goal, to reunite with her twin brother at all costs, tempts her to go to the depth of her own soul. Surrounded by an unlikely team of allies she manages the twists and turns of this desire to find her own soul is stronger than she thought.
As the story progresses you will see the karmatic connection between Ren’s inner struggles and what she is creating in her outer world. The laws of instant manifestation are at play, although our heroine is unaware of this for some time. Throughout the story many exciting, magical, exotic creatures enter Ren’s life, as well as some interesting and loyal friends. All drawing together in the ultimate conclusion that we create our own outcomes, whether we know it or not. What a great way to reveal this idea to young minds.
If parents are concerned about the subject manner, as some Youth fantasy fiction can get quite dark, I personally would say “Rest easy”. Yes there is exploration of dark magic but it does not cross the line of being “evil”. In addition, the relationships in this book stay very age appropriate and healthy. Which I found refreshing since so many popular youth books out right now so very poor examples of relationships, both in friendship and in romance.
The author Anne Zoelle appears to use many real life scientific principals such as string theory, quantum physics, particle matter and even the Chinese red string theory. What I love about this story is it is told through the experiences of magic so the reader does not have to understand these principals in order to embrace them. In this way, it can expose the audience to these ideas in a cryptic manner which encourages them to explore more about them on their own. I am not sure if this was intentional or not but these principals are so deeply seated in this story that it would be hard to believe that the Author is not well studied in all of these subjects.
Accomplishing exposing readers to such complex ideas in an intriguing and entertaining way would be enough but Anne takes it a step further. She explores human relationships, fitting in – or not, trusting your instincts, embracing your talents and in the end believing that life is magical, if only we allow it to be.
December 19, 2024
3.5 stars
There's a lot to like about this book, but the #1 was the characters and friendships. We all know that found families is one of the best tropes and this did it well. My biggest problem with this was the resurrection plot - I've always hated that type of plotline. Anyway really looking forward to seeing what the crew get up to in the next book.
There's a lot to like about this book, but the #1 was the characters and friendships. We all know that found families is one of the best tropes and this did it well. My biggest problem with this was the resurrection plot - I've always hated that type of plotline. Anyway really looking forward to seeing what the crew get up to in the next book.
September 18, 2024
4.5 stars
Had to remove at least 0.5 because this book was building a loong time. I caught myself a few times having no idea what's going on, it would be a lot of things all at once, but by the end, I could understand everything. The building was a lot, but it was worth it. The characters and their developments were crazy too, but it has JUST begun (I ADORE all of the cast already). I'm very pleased with how this book ended, it really pulled everything that happened sooo nicely, I even almost started sobbing. Overall, I really missed magical school settings like this, have a feeling that this series will be right up my alley. Super excited to continue with the series!
Had to remove at least 0.5 because this book was building a loong time. I caught myself a few times having no idea what's going on, it would be a lot of things all at once, but by the end, I could understand everything. The building was a lot, but it was worth it. The characters and their developments were crazy too, but it has JUST begun (I ADORE all of the cast already). I'm very pleased with how this book ended, it really pulled everything that happened sooo nicely, I even almost started sobbing. Overall, I really missed magical school settings like this, have a feeling that this series will be right up my alley. Super excited to continue with the series!
December 9, 2024
I read this either last year or the end of 2022 and didn’t realize until now after restarting the series that I never left a review. So here it is.
I’m not sure how I came across this book but I’m so glad that I did. This series has such an incredible story and the creativity is insane. But let’s talk about the first book.
First of all the plot is so unique and the author does an awesome job keeping you invested in the story. She has created such a lovable main character (Ren) who is just so hardheaded and willing to do anything to meet her goal. Watching her growth with magic and seeing her creative mind work is something that I wish more magic based books had. I feel as though I was actually there with her as much as I was learning of this world. I will not lie, the world building can be confusing at times and even the second time reading through this there is still things that I’m confused about with the politics and the layers. But it leaves me wanting to dive deeper and discover more which is exactly what we see with Ren as she craves more and more knowledge. I loved the balance of being able to guess how the story would progress and being absolutely shocked when things would go another direction. The unique personalities of each character and their relationship with Ren makes the read even more enjoyable as someone who loves learning more about side characters.
In conclusion I absolutely love this series. Anne Zoelle thank you for giving me another mystical world to obsess over.
I’m not sure how I came across this book but I’m so glad that I did. This series has such an incredible story and the creativity is insane. But let’s talk about the first book.
First of all the plot is so unique and the author does an awesome job keeping you invested in the story. She has created such a lovable main character (Ren) who is just so hardheaded and willing to do anything to meet her goal. Watching her growth with magic and seeing her creative mind work is something that I wish more magic based books had. I feel as though I was actually there with her as much as I was learning of this world. I will not lie, the world building can be confusing at times and even the second time reading through this there is still things that I’m confused about with the politics and the layers. But it leaves me wanting to dive deeper and discover more which is exactly what we see with Ren as she craves more and more knowledge. I loved the balance of being able to guess how the story would progress and being absolutely shocked when things would go another direction. The unique personalities of each character and their relationship with Ren makes the read even more enjoyable as someone who loves learning more about side characters.
In conclusion I absolutely love this series. Anne Zoelle thank you for giving me another mystical world to obsess over.
October 25, 2018
3.75 stars
The story and premise is really cool and I somewhat enjoyed learning about it, but it is very slow for my tastes. Ren was alone in the story for so long and it just took its toll on me sometimes. I really did enjoy the characters though and I love the found family! The characters are what I really want to read about it in the next books. Lastly, this book receives 3.75 stars because it made me cry! i was so sad for Ren and Christian!
The story and premise is really cool and I somewhat enjoyed learning about it, but it is very slow for my tastes. Ren was alone in the story for so long and it just took its toll on me sometimes. I really did enjoy the characters though and I love the found family! The characters are what I really want to read about it in the next books. Lastly, this book receives 3.75 stars because it made me cry! i was so sad for Ren and Christian!
May 26, 2020
Imagination: 10/10. Friendships: 10/10. World-building: 9/10. Pacing: 2/10. With better editing, this could have been a five-star book.
April 27, 2020
Bonkers, but really fun worldbuilding. Like the magicians, but better *with less sexual assault
September 29, 2017
**Re-read review**
I'm the kind of reader who doesn't really do rereads a lot because there's a tiny little annoying voice in my head saying, "but what about this other book you had to read?". However, for the final installment of this amazing series, I decided that the tiny voice inside my head had to shush and I NEEDED to reread all 4 books so that I had everything fresh in my mind before diving into the gorgeousness that is going to be the 5th and final book The Destiny of Ren Crown . And boy oh boy am I happy with my decision! It feels like I'm living and breathing in the Second Layer with all my favorite characters and it feels fantassstttiiiiccc!!
If someone were to ask me what made this book so special in my list to deserve a re-read, I feel like I would turn into Will and geek out for a solid hour before pushing the book in the said person's face, backing down only when they promised to read it. When I picked up the book, I was looking forward to experience the beauty of this magical world with some of the most nerdy, brilliant, awesome, kick-ass characters in YA history again but what I hadn't anticipated was feeling extremely emotional throughout the journey, reliving every sad moment, rejoicing every little Ren success, hungering for any mention of my all-time-bae Constantine and being so immersed and involved in the story that I just couldn't bear to put the book down.
The characters in this book give me LIFE and reading Ren's POV is probably one of my favorite thing in the entire series. I ADORE Ren! She is like this shining star who brightens up everything and everyone around her and would literally burn for the people she cares about. Her mind alone is such an exquisite place to be in. I absolutely love the way she thinks! Her monologue is always quirky with a dash of self-deprecation sprinkled on top. She is focused, determined, loyal, smart (yet quite dumb), nerdy and one of the best female MCs to be written IMO. She always has nice things to say about anyone she meets; she is always inspired by people around her; she always compartmentalizes any interesting piece of information she comes across and keeps adding "things to research" to her never-ending-mental-list. She is just such a delightful character to read that I could go on and on raving about her personality and talents for the rest of the review! But I'll resist.
Some of my other favorite characters are of course: Will -- possibly the second most adorable character in this series that I love to read about; Con -- the brilliant, evil, fellow delinquent and Ren's partner in crime; Nepthys -- the quiet, shy, amazing friend that Ren adores. And of course Guard Rock, because let's face it... everyone deserves a pet Guard Rock.
Anyhoo, the tiny little voice is back with a vengeance and demands that I start rereading The Protection of Ren Crown. I think I will concede for now. My rating? 4.5 glorious stars!!
-------------------------
I had forgotten so much!! I am so freaking glad I decided to do a reread. I'm in love with every character all over again! Oh and of course guard rock is included!! I'll write a better review soon-ish
*************************
3.5 stars rounded up.
I need to sort my emotions on a few things before I write a review.
I'm the kind of reader who doesn't really do rereads a lot because there's a tiny little annoying voice in my head saying, "but what about this other book you had to read?". However, for the final installment of this amazing series, I decided that the tiny voice inside my head had to shush and I NEEDED to reread all 4 books so that I had everything fresh in my mind before diving into the gorgeousness that is going to be the 5th and final book The Destiny of Ren Crown . And boy oh boy am I happy with my decision! It feels like I'm living and breathing in the Second Layer with all my favorite characters and it feels fantassstttiiiiccc!!
If someone were to ask me what made this book so special in my list to deserve a re-read, I feel like I would turn into Will and geek out for a solid hour before pushing the book in the said person's face, backing down only when they promised to read it. When I picked up the book, I was looking forward to experience the beauty of this magical world with some of the most nerdy, brilliant, awesome, kick-ass characters in YA history again but what I hadn't anticipated was feeling extremely emotional throughout the journey, reliving every sad moment, rejoicing every little Ren success, hungering for any mention of my all-time-bae Constantine and being so immersed and involved in the story that I just couldn't bear to put the book down.
The characters in this book give me LIFE and reading Ren's POV is probably one of my favorite thing in the entire series. I ADORE Ren! She is like this shining star who brightens up everything and everyone around her and would literally burn for the people she cares about. Her mind alone is such an exquisite place to be in. I absolutely love the way she thinks! Her monologue is always quirky with a dash of self-deprecation sprinkled on top. She is focused, determined, loyal, smart (yet quite dumb), nerdy and one of the best female MCs to be written IMO. She always has nice things to say about anyone she meets; she is always inspired by people around her; she always compartmentalizes any interesting piece of information she comes across and keeps adding "things to research" to her never-ending-mental-list. She is just such a delightful character to read that I could go on and on raving about her personality and talents for the rest of the review! But I'll resist.
Some of my other favorite characters are of course: Will -- possibly the second most adorable character in this series that I love to read about; Con -- the brilliant, evil, fellow delinquent and Ren's partner in crime; Nepthys -- the quiet, shy, amazing friend that Ren adores. And of course Guard Rock, because let's face it... everyone deserves a pet Guard Rock.
Anyhoo, the tiny little voice is back with a vengeance and demands that I start rereading The Protection of Ren Crown. I think I will concede for now. My rating? 4.5 glorious stars!!
-------------------------
I had forgotten so much!! I am so freaking glad I decided to do a reread. I'm in love with every character all over again! Oh and of course guard rock is included!! I'll write a better review soon-ish
*************************
3.5 stars rounded up.
I need to sort my emotions on a few things before I write a review.
December 30, 2017
This is one of those books that knocks you out with the sheer scope of the imagination. It's just...the magic is just...so fucking cool. The world in this book is...god, like so carefully drawn but also...seen through the eyes of a protagonist who knows next to nothing so we discover things along with her in a haphazard manner. This makes for a really fun, intense ride, with whacky stuff happening to Ren on every page. I hesitated to give this 5 stars because it took me weeks to get through, but I don't feel as if I've read anything in a while that has this much good, fun, crazy world building. Also, despite the constant info dump happening, it's actually okay because that is actually what Ren is experiencing and it's intense...exhilarating...Zoelle captures how the protag feels very well. This first person pov is comparable to acotar in that both make you really feel as if you ARE the protagonist/along for the ride right beside them.
Also. THE MAGICAL SCHOOL TROPE. SO WELL DONE. This is one of my favorite tropes and Zoelle does such a good job!! I love the entire thing. The student run groups, the student admin, the student police, Ren's room mate!! AHHH. All of it is like??? how did someone think of this?? How'd she manage to come up with this shit and make it into this weird, intense, lovable, fun story?
But moving onto the characters:
REN- AHHHH BABE. I love her. She's so funny and great and clearly the "chosen one" but not in an annoying way because she's just bumbling around trying to get her life in order and like...loosing limbs in the process but she doesnt give a fuck because she incredibly motivated and smart and like...not pretentious about anything at all. AND SHES SO KIND. Just wants to make friends. She reminded me a lot of myself as a master's student- no clue what I was doing, fucking things up, trying to not be socially awkward and sometimes being successful. I love her. Would fight 100% on Ren's team.
WILL- Also a wonderful small bean. I want him and mike to date.
OLIVIA- Omg the baddest bitch. Nesta Archeron 2.0. But...colder. More polite. So amazing.
ALEXANDER DARE: omg like....I get Ren's obsession because he's clearly this like avenging Knight who just wants to do good but also is untouchable ice. I enjoy his character a lot. Lots more there to find out!!
RAPHAEL: the creepiest villain I've read in a while!! He's so icky and weird. Bleh. But that's...good for a villain.
Ren's magic......her magic is the coolest damn thing I've read in a while. I just. LOVE MOST THINGS ABOUT THIS BOOK. I cannot adequately express how great and inventive Ren's magic is but it's...ugh amazing.
My main thoughts for this book are: fucking cool, man. I love this. I want more.
Also. THE MAGICAL SCHOOL TROPE. SO WELL DONE. This is one of my favorite tropes and Zoelle does such a good job!! I love the entire thing. The student run groups, the student admin, the student police, Ren's room mate!! AHHH. All of it is like??? how did someone think of this?? How'd she manage to come up with this shit and make it into this weird, intense, lovable, fun story?
But moving onto the characters:
REN- AHHHH BABE. I love her. She's so funny and great and clearly the "chosen one" but not in an annoying way because she's just bumbling around trying to get her life in order and like...loosing limbs in the process but she doesnt give a fuck because she incredibly motivated and smart and like...not pretentious about anything at all. AND SHES SO KIND. Just wants to make friends. She reminded me a lot of myself as a master's student- no clue what I was doing, fucking things up, trying to not be socially awkward and sometimes being successful. I love her. Would fight 100% on Ren's team.
WILL- Also a wonderful small bean. I want him and mike to date.
OLIVIA- Omg the baddest bitch. Nesta Archeron 2.0. But...colder. More polite. So amazing.
ALEXANDER DARE: omg like....I get Ren's obsession because he's clearly this like avenging Knight who just wants to do good but also is untouchable ice. I enjoy his character a lot. Lots more there to find out!!
RAPHAEL: the creepiest villain I've read in a while!! He's so icky and weird. Bleh. But that's...good for a villain.
Ren's magic......her magic is the coolest damn thing I've read in a while. I just. LOVE MOST THINGS ABOUT THIS BOOK. I cannot adequately express how great and inventive Ren's magic is but it's...ugh amazing.
My main thoughts for this book are: fucking cool, man. I love this. I want more.
August 11, 2019
I love magic and these characters so much; a great reread.
November 27 2017
I actually loved this for a first novel. There's so much potential for a world and a story like this and I'm really excited to get through the rest of this series. Ren Crown might just end up being one of my favorite MC's, but she's got a long way to go with her magic and so much to learn about the world she's found herself in and it's rules before she becomes truly great. Still, I very much enjoyed this cast of characters so far and look forward to getting to know them more immensely. The magic system and imagery is captivating and definitely lived up to expectation. As of now I'm very glad I decided to pick these up.
November 27 2017
I actually loved this for a first novel. There's so much potential for a world and a story like this and I'm really excited to get through the rest of this series. Ren Crown might just end up being one of my favorite MC's, but she's got a long way to go with her magic and so much to learn about the world she's found herself in and it's rules before she becomes truly great. Still, I very much enjoyed this cast of characters so far and look forward to getting to know them more immensely. The magic system and imagery is captivating and definitely lived up to expectation. As of now I'm very glad I decided to pick these up.
April 7, 2013
Totally see the psychedelic Harry Potter. Or maybe an artsy Inkspell?
August 28, 2017
i loved loved LOVED it. we've got several amazing, well-built friendships/relationships, we have multilayered characters with complex emotions and impossible goals who have to make hard decisions and no matter how many times they evaluate the risk, something always turns out to be wrong (despite their good intentions) and it's just SO fascinating. you have magic, girls supporting girls, platonic f/m friendships, important lessons - either veiled or shown/said directly on page, character development and an abundance of different types of people to choose from - they're not just cookie cutters to fit a certain trope, and i found that very refreshing. i took an instant liking to ren - she's good, precious, loyal, determined, resilient, curious, smart, friendly, and she's slowly coming out of her shell which makes me so happy - i can't wait to see her become a better, more confident version of herself (it's what she deserves!). i knew i was going to like olivia too, despite whatever first impression one might have of her - she has her reasons and she's come a long way; seeing her finally soften and make a conscious attempt to take her walls down - at least around the people she DOES like - made me so happy. neph - kind, loving, supportive, quiet, intelligent, artistic, beautiful. will!! i love will SO much, i got so emotional when [spoilers] he became ren's very first friend - perhaps not even just at the magic school but in life (i mean, i suppose ren's had friends before, acquaintances, but not like will - they just clicked right off). delia is VERY interesting and mysterious and she's not your typical queen bee/mean girl either so i'm curious to see how things will go there. and of course, constantine... cunning, calculating, incredibly quick and bright, morally gray(ish?). i can already tell he's going to be the gift that just keeps on giving, and perhaps have the biggest development of all.
as for ultram-alexander dare........... don't ask. there's a reason why this review has four stars and he's 99% of it. the insta crush? that condescending demeanor? the fact that he lowkey looks at ren like she's a pest despite what happened before the story even kicked off? the way he constantly glowers at her despite the fact that she's clearly a) shy b) awkward c) intimidated by him and d) new (which i think is palpably obvious to anyone who's spent five minutes with her)? ugly. ugly, ugly, ugly. i hope ren grows out of that crush and stays 50000000 miles away from him. now excuse me, i have to go and vomit.gif.
as for the other 1% shouldn't be taken into consideration - sometimes the technicalities put me off but that's hardly the book's fault - if anything, i think those scenes/parts were informative and helped me understand that new, magical world better, i just found it a bit hard to get through them. i guess i really don't have the patience for long, in depth descriptions anymore - not when it comes to devices and school work, but then again, that's not necessarily a bad thing.
as for ultram-alexander dare........... don't ask. there's a reason why this review has four stars and he's 99% of it. the insta crush? that condescending demeanor? the fact that he lowkey looks at ren like she's a pest despite what happened before the story even kicked off? the way he constantly glowers at her despite the fact that she's clearly a) shy b) awkward c) intimidated by him and d) new (which i think is palpably obvious to anyone who's spent five minutes with her)? ugly. ugly, ugly, ugly. i hope ren grows out of that crush and stays 50000000 miles away from him. now excuse me, i have to go and vomit.gif.
as for the other 1% shouldn't be taken into consideration - sometimes the technicalities put me off but that's hardly the book's fault - if anything, i think those scenes/parts were informative and helped me understand that new, magical world better, i just found it a bit hard to get through them. i guess i really don't have the patience for long, in depth descriptions anymore - not when it comes to devices and school work, but then again, that's not necessarily a bad thing.
July 27, 2018
I'm so glad I decided to read and finish this book. I was so lost during the beginning and almost wanted to stop reading this book but good thing I decided to read further.
Things weren't explained and the things that happened during the beginning of the book left me confused and there were things I didn't really get but what can I do.
Other than that, after I got past my frustrations it got pretty interesting. The plot was unique and I didn't get bored even once. I especially loved Constantine and hope to see more of him in the next book.
Things weren't explained and the things that happened during the beginning of the book left me confused and there were things I didn't really get but what can I do.
Other than that, after I got past my frustrations it got pretty interesting. The plot was unique and I didn't get bored even once. I especially loved Constantine and hope to see more of him in the next book.
February 10, 2013
I had this book lined up on my Nook for awhile, but it did languish, based on the cover. I thought it would be another book featuring a girl, who would be, as they often are in YA, slightly disappointing, lackluster, while everyone around them seems entranced just the same.
Though she is a bit mono-focused, she isn't one of those annoying people who perfectly adapts to new skills and abilities and suddenly knows karate and three languages effortlessly. She's confused, lost and heartbroken, and has to make her own way in the world.
The book starts with a lot of drama - electricity, and men in black, where everything is very eerie and sinister. Ren wakes up to the loss of her Brother, and no-one believing her stories. And reoccurring visions of the boy who saved her life.
And then magic appears, and things often take a turn for the whimsical. It was hard to integrate these two worlds for me. Like....this is serious and emotional writing, oh look a tricorn appeared out of no-where. And so many magical gophers...many, many gophers.
I think anytime you make a school for magic, post Harry Potter publication, you will get comparisons. The difference is that people are sorted out by what kind of skills and abilities their magic has. And there aren't wands, or broomsticks, it's a very different kind of school.
Ren hits the ground running, and her only intent is to bring her Brother back, any way possible. She's very resourceful, and this makes the book, very long, so in that way, she's a bit too resourceful. I don't know that the reader actually wants to go over 100 different strategies?
There are some memorable characters, I think my favorite might have been Guard Rock. And Ren's character is written to grow, and she does, she makes friends, and as the book goes on she begins to develop a pretty good sense of humor.
When the book ends, there are some loose ends, that makes me think a sequel will be in the works.
And truly this book was a page-turner for me, I really wanted to know what was going to happen with her Brother, how would it end? Would she be able to bring him back somehow, would she have to give him up?
You'll just have to read it, and see.
Though she is a bit mono-focused, she isn't one of those annoying people who perfectly adapts to new skills and abilities and suddenly knows karate and three languages effortlessly. She's confused, lost and heartbroken, and has to make her own way in the world.
The book starts with a lot of drama - electricity, and men in black, where everything is very eerie and sinister. Ren wakes up to the loss of her Brother, and no-one believing her stories. And reoccurring visions of the boy who saved her life.
And then magic appears, and things often take a turn for the whimsical. It was hard to integrate these two worlds for me. Like....this is serious and emotional writing, oh look a tricorn appeared out of no-where. And so many magical gophers...many, many gophers.
I think anytime you make a school for magic, post Harry Potter publication, you will get comparisons. The difference is that people are sorted out by what kind of skills and abilities their magic has. And there aren't wands, or broomsticks, it's a very different kind of school.
Ren hits the ground running, and her only intent is to bring her Brother back, any way possible. She's very resourceful, and this makes the book, very long, so in that way, she's a bit too resourceful. I don't know that the reader actually wants to go over 100 different strategies?
There are some memorable characters, I think my favorite might have been Guard Rock. And Ren's character is written to grow, and she does, she makes friends, and as the book goes on she begins to develop a pretty good sense of humor.
When the book ends, there are some loose ends, that makes me think a sequel will be in the works.
And truly this book was a page-turner for me, I really wanted to know what was going to happen with her Brother, how would it end? Would she be able to bring him back somehow, would she have to give him up?
You'll just have to read it, and see.
January 12, 2013
Rating: 3.5 Stars
The Story:
From what I understand, the story is about a girl who recently lost her brother by magic they did not know about. From there, she is sent to therapists and such, and surrounding herself by her most talented skill: art. She draws and paints, losing herself in her drawing with her art teacher who appears to be her friend. But, he is not what he seems. Soon, she is drawn into this world she has no idea about, trapping a boy in one of her paintings and hearing her brother's voice in her head. And, it gets crazier.
My Thoughts
Okay, so I didn't include everything in the plot because there was just too much, and I would ruin the book for you if I did. I wasn't as amazed by this book as I though I would be. There was way too much detail thrown at me at once, and I guess I was just too distracted to try and understand it. I mean, I understood it for the most part, but I'm not positive on how everything works.
Anyways, Ren, the main character was very…scattered to me. Like, she would focus intently on one thing, and then something would happen, and she would be in a daze. Also, every time something big happened, she would black out and wake up disoriented. The part with her brother talking in her head confused me as well. Sometimes he would say something to her, and for the most part I knew when it was her actual brother and not the demented one. But, there were some parts where I was like, "Which side of her brother was speaking just then?" I did like how Ren was very talented and smart despite her weird, scattered thoughts.
Um, there wasn't really any romance in this book, and I understand that. This first book is mainly about Ren learning the extent of her abilities and trying to bring her brother back from the dead. So far, I can see that there are two possible lovers in this series. Constantine, the sexy, secretively smart player, and Alexander, the very strong, hot, combat mage who saved her life. Frankly, I like both of them, but I'm leaning toward Constantine more because of the time she has spent with him.
Overall, I did like it. I just wasn't that focused with FINALS coming up and all. Maybe I'll read it again in the future, and I probably will when the next one comes out.
The Story:
From what I understand, the story is about a girl who recently lost her brother by magic they did not know about. From there, she is sent to therapists and such, and surrounding herself by her most talented skill: art. She draws and paints, losing herself in her drawing with her art teacher who appears to be her friend. But, he is not what he seems. Soon, she is drawn into this world she has no idea about, trapping a boy in one of her paintings and hearing her brother's voice in her head. And, it gets crazier.
My Thoughts
Okay, so I didn't include everything in the plot because there was just too much, and I would ruin the book for you if I did. I wasn't as amazed by this book as I though I would be. There was way too much detail thrown at me at once, and I guess I was just too distracted to try and understand it. I mean, I understood it for the most part, but I'm not positive on how everything works.
Anyways, Ren, the main character was very…scattered to me. Like, she would focus intently on one thing, and then something would happen, and she would be in a daze. Also, every time something big happened, she would black out and wake up disoriented. The part with her brother talking in her head confused me as well. Sometimes he would say something to her, and for the most part I knew when it was her actual brother and not the demented one. But, there were some parts where I was like, "Which side of her brother was speaking just then?" I did like how Ren was very talented and smart despite her weird, scattered thoughts.
Um, there wasn't really any romance in this book, and I understand that. This first book is mainly about Ren learning the extent of her abilities and trying to bring her brother back from the dead. So far, I can see that there are two possible lovers in this series. Constantine, the sexy, secretively smart player, and Alexander, the very strong, hot, combat mage who saved her life. Frankly, I like both of them, but I'm leaning toward Constantine more because of the time she has spent with him.
Overall, I did like it. I just wasn't that focused with FINALS coming up and all. Maybe I'll read it again in the future, and I probably will when the next one comes out.
August 29, 2012
I GOT TO SAY THAT IS ONE BEAUTFUL, STRIKING AND GROGEOUS COVER!
Absolutely entrancing. It's captured my attention and drew me in and I was completely helpless. WOW. JUST WOW. I love it!
As for the book;
It starts fast, then slows down, goes faster, then slows down again.
Sometimes I was confused and there's so much going on even when everything moves slow.
BUT.....
Overall it is acquire a touching book. Everything Ren- the heroin- does is for her brother- Christian, never stopping to think of the consequences she may endure. She never thinks about her safety or herself at all.
She's willing to give up her whole damn life for those she loves. She's cunning, strong, beautiful and loyal to the end.
I loved her and her group of friends. They too were good people.
Constantine was a funny guy! I loved him. There's still SO much to him and a lot more to figure out. I was waiting for things to happen with Dare but nothing in this book so next one please! That really got me bummed I love a bit of romance too Ya'know!
Absolutely entrancing. It's captured my attention and drew me in and I was completely helpless. WOW. JUST WOW. I love it!
As for the book;
It starts fast, then slows down, goes faster, then slows down again.
Sometimes I was confused and there's so much going on even when everything moves slow.
BUT.....
Overall it is acquire a touching book. Everything Ren- the heroin- does is for her brother- Christian, never stopping to think of the consequences she may endure. She never thinks about her safety or herself at all.
She's willing to give up her whole damn life for those she loves. She's cunning, strong, beautiful and loyal to the end.
I loved her and her group of friends. They too were good people.
Constantine was a funny guy! I loved him. There's still SO much to him and a lot more to figure out. I was waiting for things to happen with Dare but nothing in this book so next one please! That really got me bummed I love a bit of romance too Ya'know!
June 24, 2017
Slow af but the characters make the book. Shall continue series later. Needs shorter chapters each with mini mini mini sub plot. Besides that good shit
August 4, 2017
Flowers bloomed beneath him, spreading everywhere. The winning moment of the game. The feel of a perfect second extended forever.
He smiled. A glorious, lovely smile.
This book was amazing and I loved it so very much. I kept getting a Harry Potter vibe which was awesome. The love that Ren has for her brother made me so emo and I adore her friendships with Will, Olivia, Constantine, and Neph. Will was absolutely adorable. Ren's punishments and community service hours were so amusing and I enjoyed her interactions with both Constantine and Alexander Dare, and I'm looking forward to more of those and seeing where they go. Even though it takes a little while to fully get into the book, I thought that the world building was done really well and the different circles and layers, along with the different types of magic were so cool. And Guard Rock!!! So precious!!!
He smiled. A glorious, lovely smile.
This book was amazing and I loved it so very much. I kept getting a Harry Potter vibe which was awesome. The love that Ren has for her brother made me so emo and I adore her friendships with Will, Olivia, Constantine, and Neph. Will was absolutely adorable. Ren's punishments and community service hours were so amusing and I enjoyed her interactions with both Constantine and Alexander Dare, and I'm looking forward to more of those and seeing where they go. Even though it takes a little while to fully get into the book, I thought that the world building was done really well and the different circles and layers, along with the different types of magic were so cool. And Guard Rock!!! So precious!!!
dnf
July 20, 2025DNF @ 40%
This one is completely on me and not at all a reflection of the book itself. I knew this was YA going into it but it definitely leans on the younger end of the spectrum which is just not the vibe for me right now.
The magic system and world-building are incredibly unique, detailed and well thought-out. But this first book is VERY heavy on it with seemingly no reprieve which, again, just not what I'm looking for at the moment. The magic and descriptions of the school felt so complex at times that I felt like I was just reading words and could not conceptualize much of it.
There's a chance I could return to this in the future but I definitely need to put it down for now.
This one is completely on me and not at all a reflection of the book itself. I knew this was YA going into it but it definitely leans on the younger end of the spectrum which is just not the vibe for me right now.
The magic system and world-building are incredibly unique, detailed and well thought-out. But this first book is VERY heavy on it with seemingly no reprieve which, again, just not what I'm looking for at the moment. The magic and descriptions of the school felt so complex at times that I felt like I was just reading words and could not conceptualize much of it.
There's a chance I could return to this in the future but I definitely need to put it down for now.
could-not-finish
December 8, 2018I love slow-burn romances. When the author takes time to build something lasting and beautiful.
But a slow-burn love triangle that spans five freaking books?!
But a slow-burn love triangle that spans five freaking books?!
April 21, 2018
4 Stars for Ren Crown
Full review later
Full review later
December 2, 2019
3.5 but I'm rounding up for the friends we made along the way
December 3, 2018
Rich plot, poor execution.
January 19, 2013
BotW 4.1.13
FINALLY DONE!
i am not sure how to rate it-- its around 3.5stars.
there are so many good aspects about this- but also big drawbacks.
Review: (finally! I know I know...)
This book split me right into two- because there were many aspects I really liked about it and many I really didn't. Which makes rating it really had.
Its 3.5 Stars--- because it is better than good but not quite that great either.
My biggest issue is definitely the length… it's incredibly looooong. Usually that doesn't put me off a book, I am happy to read hundreds of well written pages, except this felt long. Halfway through I kept on thinking, that it was never ending, or more accurately when will it actually start? Is there a point to all this? I kept going, because I actually really liked Zoelles writing style and the world building is absolutely amazing.
I really like the idea of the layers, the twin connection, all those wackos creatures and the different talents of the mages. I always knew that drawing and making ones own paints is a kind magic- so I totally adored that part!
The plot basically only (more or less) started halfway through, half the book is world building. Which is a bit tedious -- because as much as I really enjoyed it, as mentioned above even I got tired of it. Every detail was described, beautifully, but with so much detail its seemed way over the top. It's a pity because I think this will not only put off many readers it also takes away from the story itself actually.
The character building was ok. One only gets to know Ren, really. Since this is written from her POV and she is not a 'people' person. Ren is obsessive and driven and has extremely low self-esteem. At the beginning I found her a bit annoying , she kinda was a bit helpless and a bit of a coward. But she does change and grow throughout the story, and while she does make huge mistakes, she also does (always) take responsibility for her action and faults. Plus with all her drivenness, she still is trying to do the right thing and in my opinion chooses the right path at the end.
I liked most of the support characters. Especially Constantine- but then who doesn't like a gorgeous bad boy with a soft heart?
But most of them were, once you stripped them of the incredible world they surrounded with a bit stereotypical… and one got hints to most of them that they have some secret or a hidden story to them, that there is more them than one gets right now. I don't mind that that much, partly because Ren is really not that good at reading people and incredibly naive and partly because I kept hoping that more will be revealed about them in the over 800pages. Though not much was given away at the end of the book about anyone or anything.
But if you take away the world building and you look at the cast what do you get?
A school for mages, a headmaster who's intentions are supiscous, old blood mages that have an issue with newer ones, a villain who opposes the council and the school, a striked teacher that takes on the MC, new friends who are thrown together because of the main character, the sense that the main character is somehow involved in a bigger story and a 'normal' kid who discovers its own magic powers and is thrown into the world of the mages and the school…
Does it remind you of something? Yep! Happy Potter!
This was a lot like Harry Potter. Well, Harry Potter on acid. Because the world Zoelle created is really quite out there! Again I think its awesome and beautiful. But take it away and
it's a lot like HP.
As I said before not much happens for the first half of the book and after finishing it, and I think this is my biggest reason for rating it down actually, it felt like the story is finally starting. This is like Zoelle just set up things for the story to start. Not that much actually happened, well sure stuff happened, but all in all it doesn't feel that enormous and basically no questions have been answered. A world and concept has been set up- both are spectacular- but that's mostly it.
Will I read the next installment? Hell yeah! Firstly I wanna know whats going to happen, there is huge potential here that it can become a really good story. I hope that Zoelle will concentrate more on character building and story line in the next book but also shed some light to my many questions. Second HP on acid seems to have left a bigger impression on me than good ol' Harry did.
A good debut, sadly its length kinda killed the fun a bit.
FINALLY DONE!
i am not sure how to rate it-- its around 3.5stars.
there are so many good aspects about this- but also big drawbacks.
Review: (finally! I know I know...)
This book split me right into two- because there were many aspects I really liked about it and many I really didn't. Which makes rating it really had.
Its 3.5 Stars--- because it is better than good but not quite that great either.
My biggest issue is definitely the length… it's incredibly looooong. Usually that doesn't put me off a book, I am happy to read hundreds of well written pages, except this felt long. Halfway through I kept on thinking, that it was never ending, or more accurately when will it actually start? Is there a point to all this? I kept going, because I actually really liked Zoelles writing style and the world building is absolutely amazing.
I really like the idea of the layers, the twin connection, all those wackos creatures and the different talents of the mages. I always knew that drawing and making ones own paints is a kind magic- so I totally adored that part!
The plot basically only (more or less) started halfway through, half the book is world building. Which is a bit tedious -- because as much as I really enjoyed it, as mentioned above even I got tired of it. Every detail was described, beautifully, but with so much detail its seemed way over the top. It's a pity because I think this will not only put off many readers it also takes away from the story itself actually.
The character building was ok. One only gets to know Ren, really. Since this is written from her POV and she is not a 'people' person. Ren is obsessive and driven and has extremely low self-esteem. At the beginning I found her a bit annoying , she kinda was a bit helpless and a bit of a coward. But she does change and grow throughout the story, and while she does make huge mistakes, she also does (always) take responsibility for her action and faults. Plus with all her drivenness, she still is trying to do the right thing and in my opinion chooses the right path at the end.
I liked most of the support characters. Especially Constantine- but then who doesn't like a gorgeous bad boy with a soft heart?
But most of them were, once you stripped them of the incredible world they surrounded with a bit stereotypical… and one got hints to most of them that they have some secret or a hidden story to them, that there is more them than one gets right now. I don't mind that that much, partly because Ren is really not that good at reading people and incredibly naive and partly because I kept hoping that more will be revealed about them in the over 800pages. Though not much was given away at the end of the book about anyone or anything.
But if you take away the world building and you look at the cast what do you get?
A school for mages, a headmaster who's intentions are supiscous, old blood mages that have an issue with newer ones, a villain who opposes the council and the school, a striked teacher that takes on the MC, new friends who are thrown together because of the main character, the sense that the main character is somehow involved in a bigger story and a 'normal' kid who discovers its own magic powers and is thrown into the world of the mages and the school…
Does it remind you of something? Yep! Happy Potter!
This was a lot like Harry Potter. Well, Harry Potter on acid. Because the world Zoelle created is really quite out there! Again I think its awesome and beautiful. But take it away and
it's a lot like HP.
As I said before not much happens for the first half of the book and after finishing it, and I think this is my biggest reason for rating it down actually, it felt like the story is finally starting. This is like Zoelle just set up things for the story to start. Not that much actually happened, well sure stuff happened, but all in all it doesn't feel that enormous and basically no questions have been answered. A world and concept has been set up- both are spectacular- but that's mostly it.
Will I read the next installment? Hell yeah! Firstly I wanna know whats going to happen, there is huge potential here that it can become a really good story. I hope that Zoelle will concentrate more on character building and story line in the next book but also shed some light to my many questions. Second HP on acid seems to have left a bigger impression on me than good ol' Harry did.
A good debut, sadly its length kinda killed the fun a bit.
March 17, 2021
4.5 ☆
Mischief, adventure, magic, supernatural all in one book.
I would gladly give this a five star but the fast phasing and world building are so confusing at times. I need to reread some scenes to fully understand what is happening and Anne used big words when they are talking about magic.
I love how Anne channeled Ren's guilt into something big, all those Raphael's plans, Ren slowly uncovering and discovering her magic, to letting Dare see something in her.
Florence's love for Christian and her determination to bring him back was all well known emotion in the true world and I love how Anne made me feel the connection between the twins even though Christian have a minimal scene.
Her friendship with Will, Olivia, and Nephthys promises more mischiefs and adventures. And I really love Constantine's and her magic's compatibility. I will gladly prooceed to book two to find out more.
I was spoiled by a friend about Axer so I won't say anything about him here. :D
The ending of this book made me so at peace. It was perfect. It feels like a puzzle finally completed because Ren can finally live her life. I would love to see Ren pursue that Engineering course she's talking about.
Mischief, adventure, magic, supernatural all in one book.
I would gladly give this a five star but the fast phasing and world building are so confusing at times. I need to reread some scenes to fully understand what is happening and Anne used big words when they are talking about magic.
I love how Anne channeled Ren's guilt into something big, all those Raphael's plans, Ren slowly uncovering and discovering her magic, to letting Dare see something in her.
Florence's love for Christian and her determination to bring him back was all well known emotion in the true world and I love how Anne made me feel the connection between the twins even though Christian have a minimal scene.
Her friendship with Will, Olivia, and Nephthys promises more mischiefs and adventures. And I really love Constantine's and her magic's compatibility. I will gladly prooceed to book two to find out more.
I was spoiled by a friend about Axer so I won't say anything about him here. :D
The ending of this book made me so at peace. It was perfect. It feels like a puzzle finally completed because Ren can finally live her life. I would love to see Ren pursue that Engineering course she's talking about.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews